Various types of soft drink dispensers have been previously known. In such systems, a dispensing head or pour head contains dispensing lines for syrup and soda, the same being combined either in the pour head itself or in the cup positioned therebeneath. Of particular concern in many soft drink dispensers is the fact that the open ends of syrup dispensing lines are present in the pour head, the same typically being filled to the open end with syrup awaiting the next dispensing cycle. The syrup is maintained in the line by an appropriate vacuum and/or surface tension. However, it is known that present systems often allow syrup to drop from the open lines in the pour head. Should such syrup drop into a cup beneath the pour head into which a soft drink not requiring such syrup is being dispensed, the result is most undesirable.
In modern efficient soft drink dispensers, two or more streams of syrup are ejected into the cup alongside a central stream of soda. It has been found that each of the syrup lines necessary for this type of dispensing has required its own dispensing valve in order to prevent intersyphoning of syrup from one dispensing line to the other. There was no previously known way of assuring that the syrup in each of the dispensing lines was maintained at the same level, while also providing the benefit of reducing costs and maintenance by replacing the plural dispensing valves with a single valve.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a syrup dispensing system for use in soft drink dispensers in which a single syrup dispensing valve can be employed, undesired dripping can be prevented, and side-to-side syphoning of syrup from one line to the other can be obviated.